Police Chase Top Pastor

The demolished houseThe Tafo-Pankrono Police in Kumasi are on the heels of Pastor Columbus Appiah, leader of Miraculous Jesus Evangelistic Ministry International, over the demolition of an eight-bedroom building, which was under construction at Atimatim Junction in Kumasi.

The house, which had almost reached the roofing level, belongs to one Charity Ampongsah, an elderly person.

It was allegedly pulled down last Friday by some ‘macho’ men under the instruction of Pastor Columbus Appiah, who is currently overseas.

The Tafo-Pankrono District Police Commander, Supt. David Amoako told DAILY GUIDE that two people, Akwasi Marfo and Alex Boakye, who are the prime suspects in the matter, have so far been apprehended and granted police enquiry bail.

According to him, the two men, who were charged with causing unlawful damage,’ in their separate cautioned statements to the police, Pastor Columbus Appiah ordered them to demolish the house.

Supt. Amoako said the police, armed with this information, visited the premises of Pastor Columbus Appiah to arrest him to assist in investigations.

‘But we were told that the pastor had travelled outside the country and police checks confirmed that indeed he had travelled outside the country.

The Tafo-Pankrono District Police Commander stated that lawyers of Pastor Columbus also visited the police station to inform the police that their client would be returning to the country on Monday, assuring them that the pastor would report to the station to narrate his side of the story.

When DAILY GUIDE and some policemen visited the scene, Charity Ampongsah, the owner of the house, was at the place weeping uncontrollably over the matter.

According to her, she bought the house, which was under construction, in 2003 from its previous owner, Felicia Afriyie and she (Charity) was given all the legal documents covering the house, including the allocation paper bearing the Gyasi Stool Land of Pankrono letterhead.

The old lady said 12 years after buying the property, Pastor Columbus Appiah approached her and insisted that the house belonged to him so the case was sent to the Pankrono and Nkwanta Kesse chief’s palaces, respectively for adjudication.

‘The chiefs declared me as the legitimate owner.According to her, she was in her house on Friday when she got information that Pastor Columbus Appiah had ordered some men to pull down his house.

‘As a law-abiding citizen, I reported the case to the police and I hope that they will serve me justice.’